This application claims priority from German Application No. DE 100 47 037.8-16 filed Sep. 22, 2000.
The present invention relates to an adjusting device for a piece offurniture on which to lie or for sitting on with at least one swivel part that is pivotally attached, by way of a torsion bar, to said piece of furniture on which to lie or for sitting on, with a housing and with a bearing element accommodated in said housing, wherein the bearing element is provided with a recess that partially surrounds the torsion bar and in which said torsion bar may be introduced so that the adjusting device is attached to the torsion bar with positive fit, and with an actuating drive that is lodged in the housing and acts on the torsion bar.
The European Patent No. 372 032 B1 discloses an adjusting device for a supporting framework of a bed that is equipped with at least one pivotal backrest part and one privotal leg part, a torsion bar that extends into the adjusting device being provided at the respective one of the backrest and leg parts. A radially projecting erection lever that acts on a spindle of an actuating drive is arranged at said torsion bar. Said adjusting device comprises a housing in which all of the components that are necessary for adjusting the headrest part and the leg part are incorporated. In said housing, one recess is provided for the respective one of the leg and headrest parts, said recess receiving that part of the torsion bar that comprises the erection lever. To fasten the adjusting device to the supporting framework, the housing with its recess is pushed from the bottom onto the torsion bars in such a manner that the erection lever disappears into the housing and that the torsion bar abuts in the recess. Then, a cover attached to the housing is pushed over the recess so that the housing and the entire adjusting device are kept suspended from the torsion bar, and accordingly from the supporting framework, by way of said cover. In the housing, one actuating drive is provided for each torsion bar, the spindle of said actuating drive pushing the erection lever, thus moving the headrest part or the leg part respectively into the desired position.
The German Patent No. 38 42 078 C2 suggests a drive for adjusting the headrest part and the leg part of a supporting framework in the multipartite housing of which one actuating drive is provided for each torsion bar, the spindle of said actuating drive pushing a corresponding erection lever arranged on the torsion bar, the actuating drive thus being capable of moving the headrest part or the leg part into the desired position. To fasten the drive to the torsion bars, and accordingly to the supporting framework, two clamp-like springs are provided for each torsion bar, the properties of said springs being such that they can be urged so far to the side that the torsion bar may be introduced into the spring and that the springs to partially encircle said torsion bar in order to thus keep the adjusting device in a positive fit at the torsion bars and at the supporting framework respectively.
The adjusting devices disclosed in the European Patent No. 372 032 B1 and in the German Patent 38 42 078 C2 are attached to the supporting framework without additional fastening means in that they are simply hung to the respective one of the torsion bars. For this purpose, it is advantageous to realize the adjusting device with as little weight as possible. To arrange the known adjusting devices to the supporting framework, the torsion bars must first be introduced into the corresponding recesses or clamps respectively before the cover may be pushed into position to close the recess. This assembly is very complicated and can only be performed by skilled staff, all the more because there is only very little place available underneath the supporting framework. Moreover, these adjusting devices are expensive to manufacture on account of the number and the size of their component parts.
In view thereof, the object of the present invention is to provide an adjusting device that can be readily mounted to the piece of furniture and whose cost of production is low.
According to the invention, the technical solution to this object is to suggest an adjusting device with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of this adjusting device will become apparent in the subordinate claims.
An adjusting device realized in accordance with this technical teaching has the advantage that it may be readily mounted on account thereof. For this purpose, the housing is at first simply suspended to the torsion bar by means of the recess, then, the actuating drive pushes the torsion bar into the recess so that the bearing element encompasses the torsion bar in the region of the recess. As a result thereof, the adjusting device is hung to the supporting framework with positive fit so that there is no longer the need for the irksome closing of the cover or for the arrangement of other fastening elements. It is thus also made certain that the adjusting device is permanently held on the torsion bar, i.e. on the supporting framework.
In a preferred development, the recess opens toward the actuating drive so that the adjusting device may be pushed onto the torsion bar in an almost horizontal direction and that an arm, which forms the recess, rests on the torsion bar, thus holding the entire adjusting device. Another advantage is that the bearing element is connected to the actuating drive so as to resist tensile strength, the actuating drive being thus capable of always tightly pulling the bearing element to the torsion bar so that the recess durably and reliably encompasses the torsion bar with its web.
In another preferred embodiment the adjusting device comprises a pushing element that may be traveled across the torsion bar and that exerts a pressure onto the torsion bar by way of the actuating drive. This also causes the torsion bar to be pushed into the recess of the bearing element so that the torsion bar is prevented from slipping out of the recess and, accordingly, the adjusting device from falling down. This is achieved in a particularly advantageous manner in that an erection lever that projects radially and reaches into the housing is arranged on the torsion bar, said erection lever transmitting the forces generated by the pushing element onto the torsion bar.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, all of the features mentioned herein above have been realized in the adjusting device. This has the great advantage that, on one side, the bearing element is pulled by the pulling force over the torsion bar located in the recess and that, on the other side, the pushing element and the erection lever cause a force of pressure to act onto the torsion bar, said force also pushing the torsion bar into the recess of the bearing lever. This combined action of pulling and pushing forces guarantees that the torsion bar always remains in the recess even though the torques that are necessary for pivoting the headrest part and/or the leg part are applied to the torsion bar by means of the actuating drive. There is thus provided in a simple way an adjusting device that is reliable and easy to install and that can be realized with particularly inexpensive component parts.
Another advantage is that, as a result thereof, the spindle located in the actuating drive is loaded in tension and can thus be designed to have a much smaller size since the material is capable of regularly absorbing higher pulling and pushing loads. It ensues that the spindle can be designed to be hollow, which saves not only material but also weight. Accordingly, the electric motor required and other component parts may be designed in a smaller size, which reduces costs. Above all, such a hollow spindle made from a synthetic material can be manufactured at lower cost since the cooling times in the injection molding machine used to manufacture the hollow spindle can be shorter on account of the reduced thickness of the material.
In another preferred embodiment, the actuating drive, the bearing element and the pushing element form an adjusting mechanism that is axially slidably carried in the housing. This makes it easier to introduce the torsion bar, since the entire mechanism can be slightly shifted for this purpose and is brought back to its initial position once the torsion bar has been introduced.
In another preferred embodiment, two adjusting mechanisms are accommodated in one single housing so that both the headrest part and the leg part may be adjusted by means of one unique adjusting device.